The Governor addressed the Oregon State Legislature Technology Committee Thursday.

The state has paid Oracle well over 130 million for a website that has never fully worked.

"But we have unfinished business. Clearly I wanted to get our own house in order. I fired managers for lack of oversight. I have acknowledged that oversight was a problem and we've addressed that problem. But better oversight would have only alert us earlier to the poor performance of Oracle. Oracle did not deliver for the state of Oregon."

He admitted that Oracle will be a worthy opponent.

"Now let me be clear, I believe the law is on our side. I believe justice is on our side, but I also recognize that Oracle is a very large company, the second largest software company in the world and they will fight us tooth and nail. We're going to try and recoup some of the dollars that Oracle got for technology that didn't work and was not delivered on time."

Kitzhaber says the poor quality of work and many bugs that were not fixed, doomed the Cover Oregon website.

He has asked Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to initiate legal action against Oracle for its role in the bungled Cover Oregon website.

It's becoming increasing clear that the wait lists at V-A hospitals across the country -- are a lot longer than official lists would suggest.

Ron Morgan is the head of Oregon's Vietnam Veterans of America and believes we don't have enough resources to meet the incredible demand.

"I think it's systemic of poor management of a system that goes all the way to the top. The Director can talk about being mad as hell, but when you have a motorboat mouth and a rowboat butt, nothing is going to get done. I think he should resign personally."

President Obama accepted General Shinsheki's resignation this morning.

Morgan believes the problems of lack of resources at the V-A isn't a new problem.

"We've got a finite amount of resources to work with and someone has to take a back seat and unfortunately that has to be the older veterans."

Currently the probe into hidden wait lists to conceal long wait times has expanded to 42 V-A hospitals throughout the country.

NEWS RELEASE:

Bend Police Department Service Changes

The Bend Police Department strives to provide the highest level of service to the community. Three changes to service are being implemented to advance this commitment. As always, the Bend Police Department will continue to strive for excellence and will continue to look at new ways to better serve the citizens of Bend.

As of today, investigations for all “hit and run” motor vehicle crashes will be conducted. Previously, the agency reduced this service due to staffing levels and call volume. Officers will now respond to and investigate even the most minor “hit and run” crashes, such as “hit and runs” that occur on premises open to the public (parking lots) where there is limited or no suspect information.

A fingerprinting service is also now available to the community, at the Bend Police Department. Many employers require this documentation for background checks and our agency is excited to help assist the public with this process. We will begin offering this new service on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4pm. If you would like additional details regarding cost or to schedule an appointment please call (541) 322-2960.

The Bend Police Department makes every effort to investigate all crimes, to include thefts, and attempt to recover property for victims. To assist in the recovery process you can take a proactive approach by documenting serial numbers of your valuables, even your bicycle has a serial number. Over the last month, there has been an increase in bicycle thefts. To assist in the aid of recovering a stolen bike the Bend Police Department highly encourages you to register your bike within the City of Bend. You can do this at a variety of local bicycle shops or department stores (including Walmart and Fred Meyer) that we have partnered with or community members can always register their bicycles during business hours at the Bend Police Department.

FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH - HIGHWAY 20W BETWEEN SISTERS AND BEND IN DESCHUTES COUNTY

News Release from Oregon State Police

Posted on FlashAlert: May 30th, 2014 10:37 AM

Oregon State Police (OSP) is continuing the investigation into the cause of Thursday evening's fatal traffic crash involving two vehicles along Highway 20W between Sisters and Bend. The crash resulted in the death of an adult female and non-life threatening injuries to two men.

On May 29, 2014 at approximately 8:00 p.m., a 1992 Ford Explorer driven by APRIL LOIS JEGGLIE, age 39, from Bend, was traveling eastbound on Highway 20W near Fryrear Road when it crossed the centerline and collided nearly head-on with a westbound 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup occupied by two men. After impact, the Ford Explorer continued for a brief distance and then left the highway, rolling over.

JEGGLIE, who was driving with a suspended operator's license, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The pickup's driver, CODY HERBURGER, age 27, from Sisters, was transported by ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with non-life threatening injuries. Passenger NICKALAUS NEWPORT, age 29, from Sisters, received minor injury but refused ambulance transport. He was taken to the hospital later by a family member for an examination.

OSP troopers from the Bend Area Command office and OSP collision reconstructionists are continuing the investigation. Safety restraint use is also pending confirmation.

The Oklahoma City based arts and crafts chain "Hobby Lobby" plans to move into the former Sears store at the Bend River Mall. A spokesman with Compass Commercial real estate said yesterday that is the "ideal scenario". The space has about 63,000 square feet and has been vacant since the Sears department store and auto center closed in December. The 10 year lease was signed May 19th and the Compass Commercial agent told the Bulletin that the company plans to open by October.

Prineville – Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management employees invite the Central Oregon community to participate in the 4th Annual Rip-N-Lips Invitational fishing tournament and auction to benefit the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which supports families of wildland firefighters killed in the line of duty.

The fishing tournament and auction will be held at the Prineville Reservoir Resort, 19600 SE Juniper Canyon Road near Prineville, on Saturday, May 31, 2014. The tournament begins at 5:00 a.m. on the reservoir; participation is limited to 75 boats and 150 anglers. Teams wishing to participate in the fishing tournament can get more information at https://www.facebook.com/RipNLipsInvitational or by contacting Sam Pearcy by May 11 at 541-410-0203 with questions.

The auction, music, and a BBQ will begin at 3 p.m. The Lookouts, a local band of Central Oregon firefighters, will play music and Curb-B-Q will cater the event. The auction features a wide variety of local, regional and nationally recognized companies including Cabelas, Sanrio/Hello Kitty, Hydroflask, Ricoh cameras, 10 Barrel, Old Mill BrewWerks, Worthy and Deschutes breweries.

All proceeds from the event go to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. The non-profit Wildland Firefighter Foundation was formed as a result of the Storm King (South Canyon) Fire tragedy that killed nine Prineville Interagency Hotshots from central and eastern Oregon as well as five other firefighters. The organization honors and acknowledges past, present, and future members of the wildland firefighting community, and partners with private and interagency organizations to bring recognition to wildland firefighters. For more information about the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, please visit http://www.wffoundation.org/.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Storm King (South Canyon) Fire. Lightning started the fire on July 2, 1994, during a year of drought, seven miles west of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, near the base of Storm King Mountain. On July 6, as a cold front moved into the area, the fire made a run up drainage beneath the firefighters working above. While 35 firefighters escaped to safety, 14 perished, unable to outrun the flames.

On May 27th, 2014, at about 1251 hours, Bend Police Officers began investigating a domestic dispute at 1206 SW Silver Lake Blvd. Officers learned one of the involved persons was a Joshua Alan Seeley who had left before their arrival. Officers also learned Seeley was wanted by his probation officer.

Officers located Seeley near Fred Meyer (61535 S Highway 97) by the canal. Seeley initially denied his true identity and was detained in handcuffs. Seeley was not immediately placed in a patrol vehicle as the investigation and interviews continued. During this time, Seeley fled from officers and jumped headfirst into the canal. Seeley floated down the canal towards the 3rd Street Bridge where he was able to gain footing and stand up. He then ran from the canal and hid behind a tree east of the intersection at SE Brosterhous and SE 3rd Street.

Officers followed Seeley and subsequently arrested him without further incident. He was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail. There were no charges related to the original domestic dispute Seeley was involved in.

The Deschutes County Weed Advisory Board and the Let’s Pull Together (LPT) event organizers are gearing up for noxious weed pull events that begin Saturday, June 7 and continue through Sunday, June 15, during Noxious Weed Awareness Week.

The week's weed pull events help to educate in preserving Central Oregon's ecosystem from non-native noxious weeds. Weed pull events will be followed by a free celebration and lunch for all hardworking volunteers.

Noxious weeds are non-native invasive species which threaten the Central Oregon ecosystem. They not only crowd-out native plants, but they starve wildlife, use water and create allergens. Noxious weeds also provide significant amounts of ladder fuel which during wildfires, can radically change the speed and fury at which wildfires burn.

Let’s Pull Together is a family-friendly noxious weed-pulling event held in cities around Deschutes County. All residents are welcome to attend the events to help rid the area of noxious weeds and to help protect surrounding national forests.

Let’s Pull Together-Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

· June 7, La Pine & Redmond

· June 14, Bend

· June 21, Sisters

Grab your weeding tool of choice and bring the kids, your friends, your neighbors and join others at any of the weed pull locations listed on www.letspulltogether.com. Event coordinators and on-site noxious weed experts will help you identify native plants and noxious weeds. Weed pull sites are family-friendly for children of all ages, and for adults of all physical ability levels.

For more information about LPT locations and how to participate, please visit the Let's Pull Together event Web site at www.letspulltogether.com. Event Coordinator, Cheryl Howard (541) 610-3309.

For assistance and information about noxious weeds, please visit the Deschutes County web site at www.deschutes.org/weeds or contact Deschutes County Vegetation Manager/Forester Ed Keith at (541) 322-7117. ##

Implemented in stages since 2001, Oregon law requires Oregon residents 12-years-of-age and older who operate powered boats of more than 10-horsepower to obtain their Mandatory Boater Education card. Failure to have a card under the above conditions might result in a $110 ticket. This card is NOT a license to operate a boat, as there is no such requirement in Oregon. It is a one-time program; once a boater receives their card, it never has to be renewed. There is a one-time $10 cost to receive your card, and duplicate cards are available for $5.

While boat operators can access the testing material and actually take the test on-line, those doing so will generally be charged to take the test and receive a certificate. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office offers a monthly three-hour class free of charge that accomplishes the same goal. Students watch a video, are given information pertaining to specific Oregon laws and requirements, and have an opportunity to ask questions. Students then take a 75-question multiple-choice test; a minimum score of 70% is needed to pass. The tests are graded at the class and once a student has passed, they receive all necessary paperwork and information on how to receive their card from the Oregon State Marine Board.

The following is the schedule of classes for 2014. All classes run from 6pm-9pm on the second Friday of the selected months at the main Sheriff’s Office in Bend (63333 West Highway 20).

Class Dates:

July 11, 2014

September 12, 2014

To attend a class or for additional information, go to www.boatoregon.com, or contact the Sheriff’s Office at 541-388-6503.

A Bend man was arrested after allegedly driving drunk and leading local police on a high speed chase.

Bend Police say it happened last night shortly after midnight (12:40a) when 29 year old Paul Akehurst attempted to elude police. The man was driving a 2001 Mercedes and police tried to pull him over on suspicion of impaired driving.

The chase started at the Third Street underpass and police say it reached speeds of 100 miles an hour. Police tried to end the chase with spike strips near Highway 97 and Powers road - the strips gave Akehurst's car 2 flat tires, but then he continued to run, on foot.

Police caught up with him and say the entire chase only lasted about 2 minutes.

He was arrested on DUII, reckless driving, and other charges. Police also say a records check shows he was arrested for driving uner the influence in Deschutes County in March of this year and has 4 prior DUII arrests in Missouri.

5-29-14

Here's the full News Release:

Date: May 29, 2014 Case # 2014-143177

Date & Time of Incident: May 29, 2014 at 0041

Type of Incident: Vehicle pursuit

Location of Incident: SE 3rd Street / S. Hwy 97

Suspect Information:

Paul Akehurst

29 year old Bend resident

Charges:

Attempt to Elude (Felony)

Reckless Driving

Attempt to Elude (Misdemeanor)

DUII

Parole Violation

Narrative:

On 5/29/2014, at 0041 hours, a Bend Police Officer attempted to stop a 2001 Mercedes Benz for a traffic violation and suspicion of DUII. The driver of the vehicle, Paul Akehurst attempted to elude the officer and a chase ensued. The chase began at the 3rd Street underpass and headed south on 3rd Street reaching 100mph after the vehicle crossed Brosterhous Road. A second Bend Police Officer successfully deployed spike strips near Hwy 97 and Powers Road. Akehurst continued, with two flat tires, south to Badger Road and then fled on foot. The entire pursuit lasted less than two minutes and covered a distance of two miles.

With the assistance of Deschutes County Sheriff’s Deputies and Oregon State Police a perimeter was established. Officers used various investigative techniques which led to the arrest of Akehurst a short time later.

Akehurst was processed for DUII and refused all tests. Officers applied for and were granted a search warrant authorizing Akehurst’s blood be taken as evidence.

A records check revealed that Akehurst was arrested for DUII in Deschutes County in March of this year and has four prior DUII arrests in Missouri.

After going to St. Charles Medical Center for a blood draw, Akehurst was lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail on the listed charges.

The public event happened Wednesday afternoon at the plant site off of Skyliners Road.

The new plant will help the city meet the federal government's requirement that water be treated to prevent such parasites as cryptosporidium.

City Councilor Victor Chudowsky says it will make our good water system better.

"But the plus side is once the filtration system is in place, we will be able to better use our water and increase the quality of it. And we'll have accesss to it the entire year. Right now we turn it off to prevent turbidity. So it will be a big turn around in the water supply and on the dependability of the supply."

The plant should be completed by July of 2015 and operating by December of 2015.

The OHA was in Bend Wednesday to help get feedback from communities about what they need from the state.

Jeff Emrick, the Deputy Director for Addictions and Mental Health for OHA, says their goal is to provide better care at lower cost.

"It's not really lack of funding, it's more how to aim that money, point it at the right kinds of things. Our legislature has done a good job of securing funding for local communities to provide care. So we want to know how to take the money we already have and point it at the right thing."

THe OHA will be traveling to Seaside, Salem, Roseburg and Pendleton in the next month to get more input.

House Republican Leader Mike McLane of Powell Butte says the increase in revenue is good news that our economy continues to improve, but he blames the Democratic leadership with already spending that increase by their increased spending in March.

Rescue crews found the body of a Corvallis man who slipped into the Metolius River while fishing on Monday. Jefferson county authorities say they located the body yesterday at 2:30 p.m. about 2 miles downriver from where he fell. 62 year old Isamu “Sam” Furuichi was a sushi chef from Corvallis and was vacationing in the area for the holiday weekend. His wife witnessed his fall into the frigid and swift water. He wasn't wearing a life jacket and sheriff's officials say that could've saved his life.

Another attempt to stay a judge’s decision allowing same-sex marriage in Oregon. The National Organization for Marriage has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay a federal judge’s ruling overturning Oregon’s one-man, one-woman marriage law. NOM Chairman John Eastman says they’re not sure when to expect a response. The NOM request was filed Tuesday with Justice Anthony Kennedy. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane in Eugene ordered last week that same-sex couples be allowed to marry.

Homeowners in the development got enough signatures to hold a vote on this controversial subject.

Property owner, John Phillips help collect the signatures to allow the vote.

"The Board of Directors has taken a neutral position. They thought it would be inappropriate to either be for or against it. But homeowners thought we needed to have a sense of how people were feelling and that's why I chose to help with the petition."

Phillips say he expects the General Manager of Broken Top to schedule a vote on this issue in the next month or so.

The V-A has budgeted nearly 10 billion dollars to two contractors to provide rural healthcare services over the next five years.

Veterans advocate Dick Tobiason says why should six thousand veterans in central Oregon drive over the mountain, when they don't have to.

"I drove it for five years. And I thought, why are we driving to Portland when we have marvelous medical care here. I did a study with the help of county commissioners and the hospital's CEO and sent it to Washington and now the VA is doing it."

The immediate needs for the V-A clinic in Bend are knee replacement and cataract surgery.

This change is expected to significantly reduce the number of veterans who have to travel to Portland for services.

Senator Merkley says it's time to end the longest war in American history and bring our sons and daughters home. He believes if the administration wants to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond this year, congress should vote.

Merkley has been a leading voice in congress to end the war in Afghanistan.

Merkley will be in Portland Wednesday campaigning with Masschusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. She is known as a champion for America's working families.

Bend LaPine Schools has high absentee rates for parents taking thier kids out for vacations.

LaPine High School Assistant Principal Anne Marie Lessard says that's not the driving reason down there.

"I think south county is different. We have a higher poverty level down here. In my experience, in the last two years, what we're running into is transportation issues when kids miss the bus and the distance from school, they can't walk to school. Transportation and medical needs and being sick quite a bit."

Lessard says they have care teams working with individual students to help meet their needs to keep them in school.

Last year the state had 500 million gallons of crude oil come through on trains.

Senator Ron Wyden is alarmed about the increasing frequency and wants to make sure safety measures are in place to prevent any derailments or accidents.

He held a roundtable discussion on the matter last Friday. He believes the railways have to be more open about what they're transporting.

"We have to work through the issue of railroads can't really do that because of present security issues. We can find a balance. It's not something that is impossible. We can make sure the communities are protected and remain sensitive to their question of security."

Railroads say they can' t reveal when these hazardous loads are coming through because of security issues.

Senator Wyden wants to improve the basic communication between railrods and communities to help prevent any accidents and to be better prepared to handle any spills.

She is calling for the firing of the Democratic operative that uncovered the harassment reports against her from ex-boyfriends and ex-husbands.

Wehby calls it the "politics of personal destruction" but Brent Walth, managing editor of Willamette Week says, it's part of running for public office.

"It's our job in the media to look. It's also our job in the media to decide when and where to publish things. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, if something is in the public record, you can expect it's going to come out. And it's not persuasive to blame your opponent."

Wehby's campaign says a former Senate staff member for Merkley, Jamal Raad, is the source of the opposition research.

VIETNAM VETERANS TRAVELING THROUGH OREGON ON I-84 MAY NOTICE A NEW MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO THEM.

YESTERDAY ON MEMORIAL DAY 370 MILES OF INTERSTATE 84 WAS DEDICATED AS THE "VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY."

BEND HEROES FOUNDATION PRESIDENT DICK TOBIASON SERVED TWO TOURS IN VIETNAM. HE WAS AT YESTERDAY'S CEREMONY AT THE OREGON VETERANS HOME IN THE DALLES.

"FOR VIETNAM VETERANS THIS IS CLOSURE. WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE VETERANS IN THE STATE - ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE OUR 320 THOUSAND VETERANS ARE FROM THE VIETNAM WAR- A LOT OF THEM ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES IN DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF THE WAR- PTSD, AGENT ORANGE IS HUGE -AND SO THIS IS A BLESSING FOR THEM."

THREE OF 15 SIGNS HAVE NOW BEEN INSTALLED - THE REST WILL BE PLACED LATER THIS YEAR.

"THIS IS A BLESSING, I CAN SEE IT IN THEIR EYES, WHEN WE PUT UP A SIGN (EARLIER THIS MONTH) AND THEY SAID THIS IS MARVELOUS, THANK YOU!"

TOBIASON SAYS THEY NEED TO RAISE ABOUT 65 HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FINISH THE HIGHWAY MEMORIAL PROJECT.

Searchers from Deschutes and Jefferson Counties continue to look for a missing angler who fell while fishing in the Metolius River on Memorial Day.

Captain Marc Heckathorn, with the Jeffersoun County Sheriff’s Office, says they were able to cover about 2-3 miles of the river yesterday. And, the ground and air search could span about 9 miles of the river today.

The 62 year old man was fishing in the river in the Camp Sherman area and witnesses saw him slip and fall. He was not wearing a life jacket. Authorities are not releasing his name at this point.

Company employs more than 270 in Phoenix, Ariz.; 460 in Redmond, Ore.; and 280 in Portland to serve nearly 1.5 million subscribers

PORTLAND, Ore. (May 27, 2014) – Consumer Cellular, the number one rated cellphone service for the fourth consecutive year and exclusive wireless provider for AARP members, officially surpassed the 1,000 full-time employee milestone this month. The company plans to continue hiring at its three call center locations to serve its growing, nationwide subscriber base effectively.

Consumer Cellular operates call centers at its Portland headquarters as well as in facilities in Phoenix, Ariz. and Redmond, Ore. Continued hiring at each location has allowed the rapidly growing carrier to handle an increasing volume of calls for new service, new phone orders and customer service consultations. The practice played a crucial role in enabling the carrier to reach its one-million subscribers milestone in February 2013.

“At Consumer Cellular, it’s all about the people. We are thrilled to have such a smart, dedicated and engaged workforce; they truly are the drivers behind all of the success we’ve seen within the past several years,” said John Marick, CEO of Consumer Cellular. “We are proud to be a thriving source of job creation in each of our local communities, and we will continue to hire in order to further support local economies, their residents and the growing Consumer Cellular subscriber base.”

Consumer Cellular has 270 employees at the Phoenix location, 460 in Redmond and 280 in Portland. The company expects to continue hiring in each location throughout 2014 in order to provide its growing customer base, expected to reach 1.75 million by year’s end, with continued exceptional customer support.

Consumer Cellular is the exclusive wireless provider for AARP members and a top-rated carrier that provides no-contract cellphones and service plans to those 50+. Founded in 1995 on the belief that everyone should have affordable access to the safety and convenience of cellular service, Consumer Cellular is privately held with more than 1,000 employees. The Portland, Ore.-based company utilizes the nation’s largest voice and data network, which covers more than 300 million people – or 97 percent of the US population. Consumer Cellular’s wireless phones and plans are sold nationwide at leading retailers such as Sears, Target and RadioShack dealer franchise locations, as well as direct to consumers at www.consumercellular.com or (888) 345-5509. The company has been ranked on the Inc. 5000 list for five years in a row and received the No. 1 rating in PC Magazine’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards survey. For cellphone tutorials, features, applications and company news, connect with Consumer Cellular on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+.

A search will resume today for a missing angler who apparently fell into the swift current of the Metolius River. It happened yesterday afternoon in the Camp Sherman area. Witnesses say the 62 year old man appeared to have slipped and fell. He was not wearing a life jacket. Sisters-Camp Sherman fire captain Jay Crawford says they are hoping to find him on the shore somewhere where he self-rescued. A ground and air search yesterday only turned up the man's fishing gear.

(Portland, OR) -- The Portland Water Bureau says the cause of E. coli contamination that triggered a boil-water order in the city last week hasn't yet been found. The notice was issued Friday and lifted Saturday morning. Crews spent the day yesterday cleaning out two reservoirs on Mount Tabor, which were drained after water samples tested positive for E. coli. Officials say the source of the bacteria is likely animal, rather than human.

(Manning, OR) -- Oregon State Police say a Washington teenager who held his breath while driving through a tunnel near Portland caused a crash that injured four people. Police say 19-year-old Daniel Calhon of Snohomish, Washington was driving Sunday along U.S. Highway 26 near the community of Manning when he passed out and slammed into a vehicle in the oncoming lanes. Two people from Astoria were injured. Also injured were Calhon and his passenger, who's being treated for a collapsed lung. Calhon is being investigated for reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and fourth-degree assault.

(Lincoln City, OR) -- A 14-year-old boy is dead after being run over by a vehicle trailer in Lincoln County. Sheriff's deputies say the accident happened yesterday morning along the banks of the Salmon River, about two miles north of Lincoln City. Authorities say the teen reportedly fell after trying to jump onto a moving trailer loaded with gear. The boy was with a camping group from a Japanese immersion magnet program connected to the Portland school district.

OSP FINDS 3 CHILDREN WALKING IN DARKNESS ALONG HIGHWAY 97 SOUTH OF TERREBONNE AFTER SNEAKING OUT OF HOUSE

News Release from Oregon State PolicePosted on FlashAlert: May 23rd, 2014 12:58 PM

Three children are back home with their parents after they unknowingly slipped out of the family's home late Thursday night and were found by an Oregon State Police (OSP) sergeant walking in the dark along Highway 97 south of Terrabonne. With "Missing Children's Awareness Day" approaching on May 25, OSP encourages families to take time to talk to their children about safety and abduction prevention as part of the Take 25 (www.Take25.org) national child safety campaign.

On May 22, 2014 at approximately 11:25 p.m., Deschutes County 9-1-1 notified OSP Northern Command Center dispatch of a report about three children under age 10 walking in the dark southbound along Highway 97 near a mini mart store in Terrebonne. At approximately 11:35 p.m., an OSP sergeant driving north from Redmond found the children (a boy, age 10, and two girls, ages 8 and 7) walking along the southbound shoulder in the dark south of Terrebonne near milepost 117. The children were in their pajamas and carrying backpacks, and one child was holding two teddy bears and another was carrying a blanket.

The children said they left their house without telling their parents and were walking to a Dollar Tree store in Redmond. They also said an unidentified person in a car stopped before OSP arrived, but they refused to get in the car which drove off without staying with the children.

The kids took a ride in the OSP patrol car back to their home about a mile from where they were found. When contacted and told their children were outside in the patrol car, the parents initially were in disbelief because they last saw the kids in their bedrooms before going to bed. Following a brief meeting with the family, the children were released to their relieved parents.

OSP joins the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children encouraging families to talk about safety as part of the Take 25 national child safety campaign. A discussion guide to help start the conversation is available on the Take 25 website at http://www.take25.org/StartTheConversation.

Governor John Kitzhaber has joined child safety advocates around the country by signing a proclamation announcing May 25, 2014 at "Missing Children's Awareness Day" in Oregon. More information is available in a news release issued earlier this week and now posted on OSP's website at:
http://www.oregon.gov/osp/NEWSRL/Pages/news/05_21_2014_missingkids_poster_winner.aspx.

Names related to this incident are not being released. OSP hopes this incident will help provide an opportunity to talk to your children about safety.

Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers are continuing the investigation into the cause of Thursday afternoon's fatal traffic crash involving a motorcycle and passenger car that occurred along Highway 97 north of Sunriver. Names of the involved individuals and scene photographs are released in this update.

On May 22, 2014 at approximately 5:40 p.m., a 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle and a 1998 Ford Mustang northbound on Highway 97 near milepost 149 in the vicinity of Lava Butte were involved in a collision. The motorcycle with two occupants then crashed into the center concrete barrier before coming to rest on the highway several hundred feet from the estimated point of impact. The Ford Mustang with one occupant came to rest on its top off the side of the highway.

The female motorcycle passenger identified as LISA MICHELE TOMLIN GRALL, age 53, from southeast Portland, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The male operator, PHILLIP MARTIN BRANUM, age 62, from LaPine, was transported by air ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with serious, non-life threatening injuries. Both were wearing protective helmets.

The car's driver, CORY L. McBRIDE, age 27, from Tucson, Arizona, was seriously injured and transported by ground ambulance to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. His injuries are reported as non-life threatening.

OSP troopers and a collision reconstructionist from Bend and LaPine offices are leading the investigation. Additional details regarding the manner and cause of the crash are withheld pending the ongoing investigation.

OSP was assisted at the scene by Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Bend Fire Department and ODOT.

OSP and ODOT remind all drivers and motorcycle operators that May is "Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month" in Oregon. According to ODOT, 43 people lost their lives in motorcycle crashes in 2013, down from 51 in 2012. Last year, 73 percent of fatal motorcycle crashes in Oregon were attributed to the motorcyclist committing the primary error leading to the crash. Additional information and tips is available in ODOT's news release issued earlier this month at http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORDOT/bulletins/b64d4b?reqfrom=share.

With Memorial Day Holiday weekend approaching, OSP, Oregon State Sheriff's Association (OSSA), Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), and ODOT offer the following safety reminders:

* Get rested before you are tested. Fatigued drivers are more frequent during holiday weekends because of increased travel and activity. Be patient and allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
* Pay attention. An inattentive driver is a growing safety concern on our roads and an increasing factor in traffic crashes.
* Know before you go: Stay up to date on road conditions by visiting TripCheck.com or calling 5-1-1. Don't use your cell phone to check on this non-emergency information while driving.
* Even when workers are not present, all work zone speed limits still apply and fines double. Inactive work zones still have equipment, detours, and incomplete changes in the roadway so drivers need to slow down and be alert.
* Share the road. Don't tailgate and be sure to check your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes.
* Be on the lookout for bicyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable users of our roads.
* Always use safety restraints and child safety seats correctly (see www.childsafetyseat.org for free safety seat clinics and proper buckling tips).
* Don't drink and drive; don't be impaired and drive. These can be deadly combinations.
* MOVE OVER if you are approaching any type of emergency vehicle, tow truck or roadside assistance vehicle which is stopped on the roadside with emergency lights activated.

This bill comes in the wake of the V-A scandal that has now spread to 26 facilities nation-wide.

U.S. Congressman Greg Walden of Oregon was among the majority in the House that voted for the V-A Management Accountability Act.

"Americans are correctly outraged by the growing scandal at the V-A. As a nation, we owe our veterans the best care possible. We in the House are continuing to act, passing legislation to clean up this mess once and for all. We've already passed legislation to fund important veterans programs and reduce the unacceptable claims backlog."

The bill is now headed to the senate, where its fate remains uncertain.

A day after she won the nomination, Wehby went on the Lars Larson Show to answer tough questions on concerns she isn't stable enough to serve in the senate.

"Lars: Do you have a temper? Monica: I do not, I'm a very controlled person. I've never thrown anything at anybody in my whole life. I don't yell and scream. I'm a neurosurgeon. How would I do my job?"

In the final week of the primary campaign, it came out that Wehby's ex-hsuband while she was divoricng him, and her ex-boyfriend Andrew Miller when they were breaking up -- both called police complaining about harassment from Wehby.

She says the incident with Miller occured when she told him she wanted to run for the senate.

"It puts a lot of stress on a relationship . Lars, it's just what's happening now. You are thrown in the spotlight and it's the politics of personal destruction. Look what they're doing. And Jeff Merkley says such things like personal matter should stay private, but it's his staffers that are digging this stuff up."

Wehby wants to concentrate on the issues -- not the candidates personal lives.

"I don't think people want their personal relationships scrutinized by everyone. These things are difficult. People understand you are heart broken and sometimes you say and do things you don't mean. I have to say on the police report, the most distrubing thing about it was when Andrew described me as medium build (laugh)."

Dr. Wehby is quite petite -- about 5'2" and 110 pounds.

She says she has good relationships today with both her ex-husband and ex-boyfriend.

"I feel very fortunate to have been able to do this, even though we lost. I got over 90 thousand Republicans to vote for me and for that I'm honored. It also took a long time, a lot of work and invovled sacrifice and at times it was a nasty primary fight."

Conger acknowledges losing isn't easy, but he says he wouldn't do anything differently, except try to avoid the nasty campaigning.

"But if I could have chagned that and had it made more about the issues providing voters with our positions. I wouldn't change anything about running or I wouldn't change what we tried to do and that was about as good as you can get, win or lose."

Conger says he has no plans to run for public office again anytime soon -- but will continue as a lawyer at a local firm and looks forward to spending more time with his family.

"Well no doubt the election got heated, but that's not what I'm going to focus on going forward. It's a win for public safety in Deschutes County. We're going to keep our community safe through prosecution when needed and when we need to treat and prevent crime we'll do it and that'll keep it safe too."

He says he's humbled by the margin of victory.

"I'm always cautious to guess why voters vote the way they do and I'm sure there are individual reasons why each voter voted the way they did. We were clear in our message that we would run the office right and prosecute when necessary. And we'll look for ways to prevent cirme. We won and look to deliver on that promise."

Flaherty will remain the coutny's D.A. until January, when Hummel will take over.

Hummel says he doesn't plan to make any staffing chagnes when he becomes D.A.

"Oh my gosh. It was in such bad shape. It's kind of crazy the dips in it, unpredictable. The surfaces were gone. It didn't make any sense to put a new surface on the bad road beds. We couldn't host many track meets. It was really in bad shape."

Dr. Monica Wehby and state lawmaker Jason Cogner are the two leaders in the race.

A lot of negative stories have come out in the last week regarding Wehby and harassment charges leveled against her from an ex-boyfriend and ex-husband.

Political Science Professor Jim Foster says he doesn't believe it will play much of a role in the primary because a lot of people had already voted by then.

"It's hard to know what to make of all of that. Here is a person that has made a big deal of the fact she's a medical doctor and knows the medical profession and is against the Affordable Care Act. It's unseemly and runs counter to her professional demeanor when two, not one former partners accuse her of this curious behavior I would say."

OSU Cascades Political Science Professor Jim Foster says he's looking to see whether there will be a national decision.

"The question is whether we are going to be state by state and a patchwork decision or whether the Supreme Court will revisit this issue and come up with a national standard. If that's the case, we know the court is deeply divided -- and the swing vote is Anthony Kennedy. So once again the spotlight is on Justice Kennedy."

Many states are overturning these bans following the Supreme Court's decision last year on the Defense of Marriage Act -- finding it unconstitutional.

Crook and Jefferson County have each had one call, but no one has stopped in to get one.

One of the plantiffs in Oregon's same sex marriage case, Ben West, spoke with Lars Larson about his new ability to get married.

Lars thought county clerks waiving fees on Oregon's first day of same sex marriage was special treatment.

"We never thought our family was going to be recognized in this way. We never thought we'd have the same security. So if they're willing to waive a $5 fee. These people have been waiting for decades. And after the announcement --- families flying in -- the five dollar waiving of the fee ofrwaiving the 72 hour waiting period, may be beside the point."

Oregon is the 18th state to legalize gay marriage in the last ten years.

BEND – Fuels specialists have decided to POSTPONE a prescribed fire east of Highway 97 and 1½ miles west of Horse Butte along the south side of Bend. Overnight rains put too much moisture on the fire area for fuels to remain dry enough to burn. There are no immediate plans to reschedule.

The burn is expected to last 1 day with patrols continuing as needed, so people and businesses on the south and southeast sides of Bend are advised to keep their windows and doors closed during the night hours to avoid any potential smoke impacts.

Ignitions are expected to last 1 day with patrols continuing as needed.

Residences and businesses on the south and southeast sides of Bend are advised to keep their windows and doors closed during the night hours to avoid any potential smoke impacts.

Due to the location of this project, smoke will be visible from much of the greater Bend area. Drivers may experience smoke impacts on nearby roads. If smoke drifts onto roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care.

Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs prescribed fires, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.

For more information, please visit the “Prescribed Fires” link on the Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests website, http://www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon and follow us on Twitter @CentralORFire

Lavonna Skye of Bend has been with her partner for 35 years and is originally from the San Francisco Bay area.

She has seen a dramatic change in attitudes over those years.

"When I look back over the last 35 years, in some ways I'm more disappointed that I haven't seem more change. But I'm gratified that I have nieces and nephews and younger people that don't even consider the rights of gay people a legitimate question. They're like -- what? Well, of course!"

Oregon becomes the 7th state where a federal judge has struck down a gay marriage ban in the last year.

THe 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by the National Organization for Marriage to stop McShane's ruling from being implemented.

33 year old Joshua Shepherd was killed and his wife, Jennifer and 4 year old son, Liam were transferred by air ambulance to Portland hospitals where Jennifer is in serious condition and Liam is in good condition. Their one year old daughter was not injured.

Oregon State Police say the driver of a Ford Focus from Jefferson was eastbound on Highway 20, when she lost control on the wet roadway and struck the guardrail and collided nearly head-on with the Honda Accord.

It's been twenty years since the two runways have been repaved and they need to do the work to be in compliance with the F.A.A.

Bob Noble is the Interim Director of the Redmond Airport.

"It's essentially old age. The time to replace the car. The existing facility is aged in terms of its surface, as well as it isn't meeting the F.A.A. standards. It needs to be reshaped in essence to meet them. When the project is done we will have full compliance."

The work wil be done over two summers --this sumemr and next summer.

During 2015, the airport will have to totally shut down for four days to repave the primary runway.

We have a limited water supply and lots of different people that want it.

Panel members at this month's City Club of Central Oregon meeting Thursday agreed farmers, homeowners, governments and environmentalists have to find a way to better allocate our water.

Bend City Councilor Mark Capell says it's the only way it's going to work. Court battles are a lose-lose.

"The agricultural people need the water and they have the rights. But we need to be more efficient, put water in the river and supply drinking water. We have to get the money to fix the system. We have to keep supporting the irrigation districts to get the work done. That's what the city is doing, working with the irrigation district to make them more efficient, so we can all come out ahead."

Tod Heisler with the Deschutes River Conservancy talked about why they support piping canals to conserve water. These canals see a lot of water evaporate or leak out.

"It's a societal trade off for those who live along the canal. I knew when I took this job ten years ago, I'd never be able to convince people along the canals it's a good idea to pipe the canals. These canals have 50 percent leakage and piping is more efficient and there's a fair number of them that need to be done."

The panel agreed the different water users need to collaborate more and look for efficiencies to better allocate our limited water supply.

Economic Development for Central Oregon administers the loans, that pay 2-thousand dollars a job for a maximum amount of 50-thoussnd dollars.

Commissioners heard from Mark Coppin with "Dent Instruments" about how their 12-thousand dollar loan -- spread throughout the community when they converted a former bank into their new facility.

"We needed to employ more people and needed a bigger building. We have to redevelop the bank. We spent 12-thousand dollars, but we actually spent $250,000 on local construction converting the buidling to manufacturing. So the funds went straight back to the community as well."

In the last five years, Dent Instrumetns has seen 30 to 35 percent growth.

These EDCO loans turn into forgiven loans if the businesses meet their job commitment or a year.

Back in 2004, Oregonians approved that marriage would involve only one man and one woman.

Many states have since ruled in court these bans are unconstitutional.

Judge Michael McShane of Eugene is expected to rule soon on Oregon.

Peter Zuckerman with Oregon United for Marriage says there's been exponential change on this issue in recent years.

"Our country has really been on a journey of understanding. For me that's treating people how you want to be treated. We really should have the freedom to marry who they love. I'm looking forward to the day we win. No one should be told its illegal to marry the person they love."

It is unclear when the judge will make his ruling, but lawyers for Oregon United or Marriage has asked for a 24 hour heads up before the ruling is released.

Washington, D.C. – The following statement may be attributed to John Eastman, Chairman of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), Director of the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Claremont Institute and Professor of Law and former Dean at Chapman University School of Law:

“We are disappointed in the ruling today denying the National Organization for Marriage the ability to intervene in this case. We believe that our members in the state and the people of Oregon are entitled to a vigorous defense of the marriage amendment adopted overwhelmingly by Oregon voters. We disagree with the Judge’s finding that our motion was untimely. Although her unwillingness to defend Oregon’s law has been known for some time, the state Attorney General made clear only in April that she would not appeal a ruling invalidating the marriage amendment. We believe it is imperative that a party be able to appeal any adverse ruling and that we are entitled under the law to intervene to defend the measure and appeal any adverse ruling. For this reason, we will be filing an appeal of today’s ruling with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals seeking a reversal of this decision.”

Federal judges in six states have thrown out voter approved bans on same-sex marriage. Will Oregon be next?

The National Organization for Marriage had hoped to argue marriage should remain only between men and women in Oregon – as voters approved in 2004. However, today federal judge Michael McShane has decided he will not hear the groups lawyers.

The decision paves the way for a ruling on the constitutionality of Oregon's same-sex marriage ban, which could come at any time.

BEND – Given favorable weather conditions, fuels specialists plan to conduct a 43 acre prescribed fire along Skyliner’s Road near the Skyliner community, approximately 7 miles west of Bend, on Wednesday, May 14, 2014.

This prescribed burn falls within the boundary of the Greater Bend Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the objective is to reduce hazardous fuels within the wildland urban interface.

Ignitions are expected to be completed by mid-afternoon and smoke will be visible from Bend, Pilot Butte, Horse Butte, Sunriver and portions of Highway 97. If smoke drifts on to roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care. The smoke will dissipate after ignitions have been completed, but smoke could be visible in the burn area for several days. Fuels specialists will be monitoring the burn area until all hot spots are extinguished. No road closures are associated with this burn.

Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs prescribed fires, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health. Once ignited, units are monitored and patrolled until they are declared out.

No impacts to the City of Bend waterline replacement project are anticipated.

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon says he will debate the Republican candidate who wins next Tuesday. He's surprised over the lack of public debates and critical forums between Jason Conger of Bend and Dr. Monica Wehby of Portland.

KBND news spoke to incumbent Jeff Merkley about the lack of critical public dialogue between the two assumed front runners:

"LORI: DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU ARE WILLING TO DEBATE WHO EVER WINS NEXT WEEK. -JEFF: I ABSOLUTELY AM- WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR THE SENATE I DID 100 TOWN HALLS ACROSS OREGON I TALKED TO PEOPLE OPENLY FROM EVERY PART OF THE STATE... THIS IS A GREAT EDUCATION FOR THE CANDIDATE- WHEN YOU GET INTO A RACE YOU DISCOVER HOW COMPLICATED THE WORLD IS. (for example) "HOW DOES THAT FOREST POLICY REALLY WORK SO THAT WE CREATE HEALTHIER FORESTS? WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T RENEW THE HIGHWAY BILL? WHAT OCCURS IF YOU DON'T GET A SET ASIDE FOR SMALL PORTS- OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DETERIORATES AND OUR COASTAL PORTS ARE AFFECTED. SO THERE'S A HUGE EDUCATION PROCESS THAT GOES ON. AND THE CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE YOU STAND ON THE ISSUES- HIDING YOUR POSITION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN A DEMOCRACY."

"LORI: DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE FACT THAT MONICA WEHBY IS THE ONE WHO WON'T DEBATE- CONGER SAYS HE WILL.-JEFF: NO I'LL LEAVE THE PRIMARY TO THE REPUBLICAN ELECTORATE - BUT IN PRINCIPLE IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO BE WILLING TO DEBATE YOUR POSITIONS OPENLY. AND I'M NOT DIRECTING THIS TO ANYONE SPECIFICALLY- BUT THAT ANY CANDIDATE WHO HAS A STRATEGY OF HIDING WHERE THEY STAND IN ORDER TO PURSUE ELECTION......IS SOMETHING THAT.... (DOESN'T FINISH THOUGHT) AND I THINK THE NEWS MEDIA NEEDS TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE BY ASKING THE TOUGH QUESTIONS...

While The Oregonian has endorsed Wehby, the paper has also been very critical of her refusal to go on KGW-TV in Portland in a debate against Jason Conger.

The primary race has five candidates, but Conger and Wehby are considered the front runners due to fundraising and polling numbers.

Other candidates and political insiders have said that both candidates have little name recognition and haven't had very many revealing public appearances.

Representatives from the National Organization for Marriage will be arguing in front of the judge Wednesday since Oregon's Attorney General felt the law was indefensible.

Peter Zuckerman with Oregon United for Marriage says supproters of gay marriage will be at the hearing in Eugene.

"We're very hopeful. So far every federal judge that has looked at this issue in the last year and a half has ruled on the right side of history. So we're very hopeful he will allow same sex couples to marry in Oregon."

The judge could rule as early as Wednesday, but if he fails to rule by May 23rd-- Oregon United for Marriage has petitions with the necessary signatures to put the issues on the November ballot.

The new 16 million dollar facility will house 330 students and should be finished by the fall of 2015.

Ron Paradis with COCC says the increased housing will help with recruitment.

"You know if they're thinking of coming to central Oregon, parents and students alike like that we have student housing. Makes for a more comfortable life on campus. It's nice to have that option with enrollment because we're going to be spending more time recruiting, since enrollment is dropping. It's a great benefit. Also, data shows students who live in residence halls have greater success and that will help with our student success initiatives as well."

"We met with HOA board members and I think everbody's just trying to take it all in. Nothing is firm yet. I think there's some hope and there's concern on all sides. There's not enough info for anyone to strongly react at this point."

Hickmann expects the parties to make a decision by fall whether the city will continue to operate the utility or whether to sell it to the other utiltiies.

The Deschutes County Planning Commission voted unanimously last week not to change the permitting process to pipe these canals.

The Central Oregon Irrigation District was trying to change the process so they could pipe canals without public input.

Tom Hignell lives along the Pilot Butte canal and was active in fighting plans to limit public say.

"We're pleased the commissioners listened to us and we're open to our feelings and comments that what COID was trying to do was push this through and take out a public forum and be allowed to pipe the canals without public input."

The Planning Commission is recommending the county commissioners don't change the permitting process.

The county commissioners will have the final say when they vote on this issue in the next couple months.

The Oregon Family council decided to suspend their effort late last week.

Peter Zuckerman with Oregon United Against Discrimination says it was good news for their cause.

"The opposition dropped the measure late Friday. We were thrilled. There were cheers, hugs and tears. It was an amazing moment for the campaign and loving and committed couples all over Oregon."

Oregon United Against Discrimination is now looking ahead to Wednesday, when a federal judge in Eugene will hear the National Organization for Marriage make the case against allowing gay marriage in the state.

The judge could possibly rule on the case that day. If he doesn't rule by May 23rd, Oregon United Against Discrimnation plans to put the issue on the November ballot.

The problem came to the attention of Cover Oregon's Executive Director, Clyde Hamstreet last month.

He has added four staff to start sending out checks. 200 thousand dollars worth went out last week, with more going out this week.

Steve Cox an insurance agent out of West Linn, let the board know he's not happy.

"Still I'm getting the same stuff. We're working on it . This is the eighth month I've been working for Cover Oregon and I haven't been paid anything. My wife and I have a half a million in annualized volume submitted."

Hamstreet says paying agents is a top priority and plans to be up to date with their payments to them by the end of July.

They asked Oregonians how many U.S. Senators we have and how many branches of government there are.

Pollster John Horvick has the results.

"47 percent of Oregonians didn't know we have two U.S. Senators. And 50 percent could not name the three branches of government. And 37 percent couldn't name one tax used to fund state government services."

33 percent named property taxes as a tax that funds state services, but Horvick says they don't. Property taxes fund local services, not state ones.

It's a large undertaking and so Governor Kitzhaber has asked the Acting Head of the Oregon Health Authority to lead the transition involving multiple agencies.

Tina Edlund will be the Transition Project Director to make sure Oregon is on board for the next enrollment period in November.

"We have created a project so we can transition to the federal exchange and move from Cover Oregon to OHA for medicaid patients. The entire goal is to make sure there is a single point of accountability."

The Cover Oregon website will continue throughout this year serving those who signed up for coverage.

It's still unclear whether these people will need to reapply on the federal website come November.

Medicaid patients will eventually be served by the Oregon Health Authority and those buying private plans will use the federal health exchange.

The poll by D-H-M Research of Portland asked 400 voters about a week ago their impression of Kitzhaber and his Republican opponent Dennis Richardson.

Pollster John Horvick.

"49 percent say its time to replace Kitzhaber, while 35 percent say they want to re-elect him. But in a head to head matchup with his presumed Republican challenger Dennis Richardson, Kitzhaber leads 48 percent to 36 percent. So almost a majority are open to replacing Kitzhaber, but in a head to head with Richardson, Kitzhaber leads by 12 percentage points."

The poll also found a majority of those asked support same sex marriage in the state.

"In April 2013, 49 percent said they support amending the constitution, but now 58 percent do. So the trend is continuing -- the strength is there is it goes to the ballot, but it's still undecided if that's going to happen. But if it does, it'll likely be successful. It has the support of all democratic groups except Republicans, and has the support of all age and gender groups and all areas of the state."

The poll also found 53 percent of Oregonians support legalizing marijuana while 38 percent oppose it.

"So we see a slim majority. The people who support it the strongest are men, democrats and independents and those who most oppose it are rural residents, Republicans and females."

Steve Buckstein with the Cascade Policy Institute told the Cover Oregon Board last month that a decision by the federal D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on the case "Halbig versus Sebelius" could prevent the federal website from allowing subsidies.

"The people who sign up on the federal exchange are not eligible for the tax credits. The Obama Administration has been granting them illegally. But I think Oregonians need to know this is one of the risks associated with the failure of Cover Oregon."

The case argues that the Affordable CAre Act does not allow for tax subsidies at the federal exchange -- only at state exchanges.

The Obama Administration is arguing the intent of the law is to allow all Americans -- either on state exchanges or the federal one -- be eligible for these subsidies.

A decision by the court of appeals is expected soon, but the case is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.

State Representative Gene Whisnant of Sunriver is receiving a veterans housing award Thursday from Housing Works.

Specifically, Whisnant is being honored for his work on passing the veterans housing bill.

The law sets aside a portion of real estate recording fees in the state to be used for veterans housing.

Kenny LaPoint with Housing Works says this will help a lot of veterans.

"At the Housing Authority, we have 75 housing vouchers for the chronically homeless veterans that pays for their rental apartments. The problem is, we can pay their rental, but many don't have the security deposit. So this will mean the difference between those who can use the vouchers and getting out of homelessness and them not."

The fund won't be set up until 2015, but then it is expected to contain six million dollars that will be used throughout the state to help with veterans housing.

Governor Kitzahber says drought conditions continue in southern Oregon and Jackson County is the latest to reach this critical point where they are threatened with water shortages and low stream flows later this year.

Also today the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated six Oregon counties as natural disaster areas due to the drought.

They include Jackson, Klamath, Lake, Malheur, Harney and Lane counties.

WILL DR. MONICA WEHBY'S ALLEGED BOYFRIEND BE INVESTIGATED FOR HIS CAMPAIGN DONATIONS TO A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE?

DEMOCRATS ARE CALLING FOR A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER ANDREW MILLER'S 30 THOUSAND DOLLAR DONATION TO AN ANTI-CONGER PAC (PACK) BROKE ELECTION RULES. THERE CAN BE NO COORDINATION BETWEEN A PAC AND A CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN.

KBND NEWS SPOKE TO JASON CONGER WHEN THE "OREGON ORACLE" FIRST BROKE THIS STORY ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.

"It's a little far-fetched to think that someone who co-habitates with the candidate and is aware of everything that's going on in the campaign doesn't have some level of coordination."

BOTH DR. MONICA WEHBY AND ANDREW MILLER HAVE TOLD KBND NEWS THEY ARE JUST FRIENDS AND WEHBY'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER SAYS HE CANNOT "CLARIFY" THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO.

CONGER SAYS THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE POTENTIAL COORDINATION BETWEEN WEHBY AND MILLER, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER POSSIBLE VIOLATION:

"The PAC is also structured in such a way that allows unlimited contributions- and in order to do that it has to allow for multiple campaigns- and clearly it is not - the ads are attacking me- the name of the pac is entirely unique to this race and to me- i think it's 'if he votes this way in Salem how will he vote in congress?' There is only one legislator in Oregon running for congress.

MEANTIME- WEHBY'S CAMPAIGN HAS CRITICIZED CONGER FOR BEING FRIENDS WITH THE HEAD OF "OREGON RIGHT TO LIFE" A PAC THAT HAS ENDORSED CONGER.

KBND NEWS ASKED CONGER ABOUT HIS COMMUNICATION WITH GAYLE ATTEBERRY.

"Oregon Right to Life lobbies from time to time- in the capitol and I've been in their office- but since the race began - I believe I only talked to Gayle once- it was at a conference where I was speaking and she was too- and I said 'Hi Gayle- how are you? (laughs) *not* talking and coordinating on how should be do our attack strategy?..."

CONGER FEARS THAT NO MATTER WHO WINS THE PRIMARY -THESE ALLEGEGATIONS WILL HURT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IN HIS OR HER BID AGAINST U.S. SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY.

St. Charles Foundation receives $1.8 million legacy gift from the estate of John Picchetti

BEND, Oregon – A $1.8 million unrestricted bequest from the estate of John D. Picchetti will support excellence in health care for Central Oregonians.

The Board of Directors of St. Charles Foundation designated $1 million from this gift to create the John D. Picchetti Endowment for Heart Services. St. Charles Heart Services provides innovative cardiovascular medicine and patient care to improve cardiovascular health in the region, including receiving the American Heart Association’s prestigious Heart Failure Gold Award for reducing readmission rates.

“Establishing the Picchetti Endowment is an incredibly significant milestone in our fight against heart disease,” said Lisa Dobey, executive director of St. Charles Foundation. “My hope is that this endowment will grow and St. Charles will continue to lead the way in heart health. What a wonderful legacy John left. We are honored to have John’s name attached to our work.”

The remaining funds will join with donations from hundreds of other Central Oregonians to create the new integrated cancer center. With this gift, the campaign has raised more than $5 million toward the $5.7 million goal. The new cancer center will enhance patient-centered care coordination, improve accessibility, provide leading-edge treatments and offer personalized patient support for patients facing the challenging diagnosis of cancer. In honor of this gift, the Foundation has elected to name a portion of the cancer center the, “Picchetti Family Radiation Oncology Wing.”

“While the gift was unrestricted, we thought about our relationship with John and decided to honor him by investing in the two programs he was most passionate about – heart services and cancer,” Dobey said. “We are extraordinarily grateful to John Picchetti for his vision and generous support. His transformational gift will forever link the name John Picchetti to excellence in health care. That is his legacy not just to St. Charles, but to everyone in Central Oregon whose life is touched by cardiovascular disease or cancer.”

John Picchetti lived a full life. After a long and successful career as an investment advisor, he fueled his interests in geography and anthropology by traveling the world. With each trip, he gained lifelong friends and learned new facts of trivia – which he loved to use to stump others. Picchetti will be remembered as an honest, fair and caring man who lived life to its fullest.

“My hope is that John’s gift will inspire others in the community to invest in the future of health care by leaving a gift to St. Charles in their will,” Dobey said.

About St. Charles Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of St. Charles Health System, the Foundation works to support and improve health care in Central and Eastern Oregon. Private donations raised by the Foundation allow St. Charles to build new medical facilities, purchase state-of-the-art medical equipment, keep pace with the latest technological advances and deliver exceptional patient care in a healing environment. The Foundation does more than just raise money for bricks and mortar. The organization also raises money to support many programs that benefit low-income and uninsured patients.

They've been trying to raise 225-thousand dollars to fund the 700-thousand dollar project for the last couple years.

Now an anonymous donor has stepped forward and pledged to pay half the amount -- 112-thousand 500 dolalrs, if the community can raise the rest.

Gary Olereenshaw says they have until June First to make it happen.

"It's important for the community because the playground was built by the Kiwanis in 1992 and the wooden structure is old and tired. And this will be new equipment. And the key is it will be inclusive for anyone with a disability to play on . It's gonna be first class."

Ollerenshaw is optimsitic they can raise 112-thousand 500 dollars to get the local match by next month.

Though the paper admitted Hummel isn't as experienced in prosecution as Flaherty -- they believe Hummel is a better manager and team player that would allow him to run a smoother D.A.'s office.

The Bend Bulletin on the other hand, gave the nod to Flaherty because he's an effective prosecutor and Hummel is a criminal defense attorney.

"The Bend Bulletin's editorial writers want a D.A. that focuses on prosecutions. I say you need to prosecute the bad guys, but we also need to do crime prevention. Preventing crime makes a community safer and costs less. We have a philosophical difference there."

The Source Weekly that endorsed Hummel says Hummel's time as project manager for the Carter Center setting up a justice system in Liberia and his time as a city councilor will help him run an effective D.A.'s office.

MADRAS, Oregon — St. Charles Madras reinstated a full lockdown of the facility at about 1:15 p.m. after reports that the escaped convict from Deer Ridge Correctional Institution may have been spotted on the hospital property.

The lockdown means that patients who were scheduled to receive health care procedures at the facility today have been called to reschedule their appointments. Visitors will not be allowed into the facility while the lockdown is underway.

The lockdown will be lifted as soon as law enforcement and hospital officials deem the situation safe for patients, caregivers and families.

U.S. Senate Candidate Jason Conger of Bend wants to get his message out- just not on The Lars Larson Show.

On the daily talk show, Larson has continued to criticize Conger's voting record, and support Conger's main Republican challenger Monica Wehby. Conger says Larson continues to distort his positions and even talk about him when he's not present to defend himself.

"FOR WHATEVER REASON --- IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I SAY AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE TRUTH IS- HE HAS DECIDED THAT HE IS GOING TO USE THAT TO ATTACK ME- AND SO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INCENTIVE TO GO ON HIS SHOW AND CORRECT HIM...BECAUSE THE MINUTE I'M OFF THE SHOW HE GOES RIGHT ALONG SAYING WHATEVER HE WANTS TO SAY- I FIND IT *EXTRAORDINARILY* IRRESPONSIBLE- I HOPE MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT TRICKED."

In one example, Conger says he's had voters ask him why he voted for "Obamacare" when he didn't. Conger was a state lawmaker and they didn't vote on the Federal law. Conger says if he *had* been in congress he would have voted "no."

This Morning the Jefferson County Sheriff's office reported that a stolen car was found in the area, after an inmate escaped from the nearby prison. This morning they reportedly found the car and are looking for the suspect.

The 31 year old escaped last night from the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution near Madras. Clinton Wwearingen was reported missing at 10:30 last night - he's a white male, 5 foot 6, about 140 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is serving time for theft, burglary and stealing a car.

Here's a news release from local hospital - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2014

St. Charles Madras on lockdown due to escaped convict from Deer Ridge Correctional Institution

MADRAS, Oregon — St. Charles Madras officials decided to put the hospital on lockdown starting at 9 a.m. today in order to protect patients and staff as local law enforcement agencies search for an escaped convict from Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in the Madras area.

The lockdown means that patients who were scheduled to receive health care procedures at the facility today have been called to reschedule their appointments. Visitors will not be allowed into the facility while the lockdown is underway.

The lockdown will be lifted as soon as law enforcement and hospital officials deem the situation safe for patients, caregivers and families.

About St. Charles Health System

St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras and Redmond, and leases and operates Pioneer Memorial Hospital. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 3,400 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As part of its continuing commitment to improve management of the nation’s public lands, the Bureau of Land Management is beginning a review aimed at creating a more dynamic and durable way of developing the Resource Management Plans (RMPs) that guide its efforts. Congress has directed the BLM to develop RMPs for the public lands it manages in consultation with the public and with its partners from tribal, state, and local governments and other federal agencies.

"As I’ve met with elected leaders and citizens from across the West on BLM issues, I've consistently heard two things: first, the BLM needs to more effectively address landscape-level management challenges; and second, planning takes too long." BLM Director Neil Kornze said. "We're listening to you and we are stepping forward to improve the way we work so we can make our process more flexible in planning across landscapes, more dynamic and responsive to change and less time consuming."

Based on an initial review, the BLM intends to target changes in its existing planning regulations and handbook that will allow us to:  Conduct effective planning across landscapes at multiple scales and clearly define the boundaries for different types of decisions.  Create a dynamic and durable planning process that is responsive to change, allowing BLM to keep plans current through amendments.  Create an efficient planning process that reduces the amount of time it takes to complete RMPs.

The initiative complements BLM’s landscape approach to managing public lands. The effort is also consistent with Secretary’s Order 3330, "Improving Mitigation Policies and Practices of the Department of the Interior," including its charge to use a landscape-scale approach to identify and facilitate investment in key conservation and development priorities in a region.

While this marks the beginning of the process, we anticipate additional opportunities for public involvement. We anticipate proposing targeted changes to our planning regulations and these changes will be open for formal public review and comment. We also will be revising our current planning handbook to incorporate new guidance and the concepts needed to effectively plan across landscapes.

In addition to the formal review period associated with the rule-making process, the BLM is seeking input on how we can achieve the goal of a more effective, efficient and durable planning process. Individuals can learn more www.blm.gov/plan2 and can provide feedback to us at blm_wo_plan2@blm.gov.

– BLM –

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2013, the BLM generated $4.7 billion in receipts from public lands

Redmond, OR –Following more than 17 years of service on the Housing Works Board of Commissioners, Craig Unger has retired from the Board effective April 30.

Housing Works Executive Director Tom Kemper said “Unger has been a tireless advocate for low-income families in our community. Unger was constantly seeking out innovative strategies to help alleviate poverty in the most vulnerable populations. After 17 years of service, we wish him well in in his retirement from the board and thank him for all the work he has done to ensure that the mission of ‘fostering dignity through housing’ was at the forefront of our minds. We will greatly miss his dedication to the folks that Housing Works serves.”

Unger, a retired Redmond police officer, also retired as a Director of the Board of Directors of Families Forward, a nonprofit affiliate of Housing Works providing resident services to Housing Works residents. Unger was devoted to helping low income families in Central Oregon and served as President of the Families Forward Board. During Unger’s tenure as a Commissioner of the Housing Works Board, the authority increased its housing portfolio by 200% and greatly expanded its voucher and resident services programs. Unger has agreed to continue his role as a hearings officer for Housing Works when controversies arise under the voucher program.

Housing Works is the largest affordable housing provider in Central Oregon. It provides people with quality, safe and affordable homes; and through a number of collaborations, it provides the resources to help people stabilize their lives. Housing Works obtains public funding from federal, state and local governments and leverages these funds with private capital from local financial institutions and foundations to provide quality housing that meets communities’ needs.

Housing Works developments in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras and Sisters have won awards for innovation, economic impact, design, beautification, and historic preservation and enhancement. For more information, visit www.housing-works.org.

Oregon State Police (OSP), with the assistance of a Lincoln County-area interagency crash team, is continuing the investigation into the cause of Sunday morning's single vehicle traffic crash that resulted in the death of two people along Highway 20 near Eddyville. The involved vehicle traveled off the highway and came to rest submerged on its top in the Yaquina River. The names of the two victims who were students at Oregon State University are released in this update.

On May 4, 2014 at approximately 11:13 a.m., OSP Northern Command Center dispatch received a report of a vehicle rolling off Highway 20 near milepost 17 and coming to rest in the Yaquina River. Emergency responders from Toledo Fire Department, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, OSP and ODOT were dispatched to the scene.

A 2000 Chevrolet Impala driven by ABIGAIL PATRICIA EMERSON, age 21, from Roseburg, was eastbound on Highway 20 negotiating a sharp right curve when it began to fishtail. EMERSON lost control, nearly hitting another vehicle and then went off the eastbound shoulder of the highway approximately 40 feet down an embankment into the Yaquina River where it came to rest submerged in the water on its top. Witnesses were unable to get to the car's occupants.

Emergency responders arrived on scene and went into the water where they got inside the overturned vehicle and found the driver and passenger CHRISTOPHER J. KAZANSKI, age 24, from Madison, Wisconsin, inside unconscious. Both were transported by ambulance to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis and pronounced deceased after arrival.

OSP troopers from the Newport Area Command office, with the assistance of an OSP collision reconstructionist and the Lincoln County-area interagency crash team, are continuing the investigation. Crash investigation team members from OSP, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Newport Police Department, Lincoln City Police Department, and Lincoln County District Attorney's Office responded to the scene to assist.

The highway was closed for a brief period and then open to one lane of travel until investigator cleared the scene.

(Madras, OR) -- Authorities are looking for an inmate who escaped from the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras. Officials say 31-year-old Clinton Orvill Swearingen the Second was discovered missing last night around 10:30. Swearingen was sent to Deer Ridge in February on burglary and theft charges. Anyone with information on Swearingen's whereabouts is asked to call Oregon State Police at 800-452-7888.

"There have been a couple that use pretty in depth interiews and one was the Bulletin and Willamette Week was another. They do it differently. They have candidates come in together. At any rate, I'm honored."

Conger says both these newspapers grilled candidates on a number of issus and he says he's honored to be singled out by these publications.

The Bulletin says Conger has proven himself an effective lawmaker in his terms in the Oregon legislature, digging into the details of compelx issues and learning how to represent his constituents' interests.